SOAN0215 Fall, 2014

PAPER ASSIGNMENTS

In this course we will be focusing on the role of education in producing, reproducing, and
decreasing social inequality of various types (including that based on race/ethnicity, social class,
gender, disability, and sexual orientation).

A variety of different kinds of "reform" proposals have been introduced in recent years. Some of
these proposals may, in fact, reduce the degree to which various groups experience inequality
during, and as a result of, schooling; others may, in fact, increase or sustain the degree of
inequality.

1) Choose a specific proposal for educational reform. You may choose from among the list
below or you may, with consultation, choose some other proposal. Write a brief paragraph in
which you describe this educational reform.
Your statement of choice (and the brief paragraph) is due on September 17 (in class).

2) Write an initial position paper about this educational reform. In this paper you should
expand your explanation of this educational reform, provide some history of it, and offer an
accounting of the goals of those who favor and oppose it. You should then argue either for or
against this reform. Why do you believe this reform is a good idea? Or why would you not
support it?
This paper should be about 3-5 pages long; it is due on September 30 (noon) (Munroe
207).


3) Re-evaluate your initial position about this social reform in light of the issue of social
inequality under consideration in this course. You may narrow your focus to a specific form
of social inequality such as that of race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or class alone. You
should make clear, however, what kind of inequality you are concerned with here. (In some cases
this will be obvious; in others it might be more complex.) You should consider the following
kinds of questions: Do you think the social reform will increase, decrease, or leave untouched
social inequality? Why? Does the focus on social inequality change your original position on
this reform? Why or why not?
Your second position paper should be about 3-5 pages; it is due on November 21 (noon)
(Munroe 207).

Some Educational Reforms
Common Core Standards
School choice
Charter Schools

Schools for girls only; schools for African-Americans only; or separate schools for gay
and lesbian students.
Hirsch's notion of "Cultural Literacy"
Public aid to private school students (tuition tax credits or vouchers)
Bilingual Education
Special Programs for the Gifted
Vermonts Act 60
De Blasios Universal Pre-K

POLICY ON LATE PAPERS
I do not like late papers.
I do accept legitimate excuses from time to time.
Without a legitimate excuse I take off one third of a grade for each day that it is late. Hence, a
paper that starts as an A is an A- after one day, a B+ the following day, and so on down
the line.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

All papers must be typed
Use at least a 12-point font (this is ten point and it is hard to read)
Make sure you double-space your paper:
These two lines are double-spaced one after the other following with adequate spacing
between them.
On the other hand, the spacing between this line and the next one has dropped down to
1.5 spaces and is not appropriate.
Leave at least one inch margins on both sides of the paper.
This has extended the margin beyond the requested inch on either side of the page and there is no room on either
side left at all for me to write comments. I get very annoyed when this is the situation. It might even affect your
grade on the paper.

Proofread and check the spelling and the grammar. You will be graded down for papers with
lots of errors in them.
You may use footnotes with full citations. I prefer the style of in-text references (Name,
Year:P#) as shown in the paragraph below. In this case, you need a bibliography at the end.
EXAMPLE OF TEXT: The recent growth in the proportion of families that are headed by
women is a well documented phenomenon (Burns and Scott, 1994). The poverty status of
single mothers has also been amply substantiated (Lino, 1995). Currently almost half of
single-mothers live in poverty (Hao, 1995: 92).
EXAMPLE OF BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Aldous, J. and W. Dumont. 1990. "Family Policy." Journal of Marriage and the Family
52(4):1136-1151.
Bane, Mary Jo and David T. Ellwood. 1986. "Slipping Into and Out of Poverty: the
Dynamics of Spells." Journal of Human Resources 21(Winter):1-23.
Duncan, Greg J. and Willard Rodgers. 1987. "Single-Parent Families: Are Their
Economic Problems Transitory or Persistent?" Family Planning Perspectives
19(4, July/August):171-178. .

When in doubt, use references. It is better to have unnecessary citations to sources than it is to
be suspected of plagiarism.